Real Madrid’s president announces Mourinho’s farewell

Florentino Perez convened media at the Santiago Bernabeu to publicly announce that Jose Mourinho will cease to be the coach of Real Madrid when this season ends.

Although the Portuguese coach had a contract until 2016, the club has reached an agreement with him to leave three years after his arrival. “Nobody has displaced anyone, it was by mutual agreement,” he said. “It’s not pleasant that he’s leaving, but after three years we both agreed it was time to end this relationship,” he said.

“He thinks it’s best to leave the club, and I share in those reasons. It’s the right decision to start a new project. There is no financial compensation. I repeat. Mou is the longest serving coach of the 20 teams in the Primera. Remaining for three years is not easy, and even less in an institution with as much pressure as this, “he said. “There’s been Leagues that have been won with 60 points. The word failure does not correspond with reality, and would be unfair. In our culture it’s not enough.”

Positive results from Mourinho’s time at Real Madrid
The president of Real Madrid defended Mourinho’s achievements. “We have taken a major steps, in sport and our competitiveness. Today Madrid is where it should be. We’d been eliminated six years in the Champions League knockout rounds without being seeded. Today we are in the top four, always in the semifinals or the final. The results are positive, “he said.

“Last year we were all delighted, we created some spectacular football, and broke all kinds of records. This year, for us it’s not enough to reach the semifinals of the Champions League, the Cup final and be second in the league. Madrid is great because of this, we are demanding, and our culture is to win, “he recalled.

“Real Madrid is more united than ever. When I came here nine years ago our partners lived through a turbulent period we must never forget, so that it will never happen again,” he said. “It’s a sad day, but I want the best for Mou. This place will always remember him, he’s part of our history,” he said. “Every coach has his personality, and there is no doubt that Mourinho was wrong sometimes, sure. But the level of pressure is not normal”.

“The decision was made up of many things. Had we won the European Cup maybe we would not be here, I don’t know. Mourinho believes that three years is enough. He has his wear and tear,” he confessed. “When 2000 came I began to understand the pressure to win and how fans influence that. It’s not normal and Mourinho wasn’t accustomed to it. Here you can’t sleep, not even a day,” he said.